


For Me Alone to Bear

by Elillierose



Category: One Piece
Genre: Angst, Blood, Budding Love, Fever, Hurt/Comfort, Illness, Infection, Injury, M/M, Romance, Secrets, Sick Character, Sickfic, Whump, ZoSan - Freeform, h/c, m/m - Freeform, protective Zoro, sick Sanji, wound
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-11
Updated: 2019-11-11
Packaged: 2021-01-28 21:56:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21399280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elillierose/pseuds/Elillierose
Summary: For once, it’s Sanji jumping into action in order to save Zoro. However, such a heroic action is sure to come with a price. A deadly one at that. Temporarily stranded, Sanji keeps his discomfort hidden for as long as he can for the sake of both of them.Zosan***Reuploaded due to being unrightfully deleted based on false abuse claims***
Relationships: Roronoa Zoro/Vinsmoke Sanji
Comments: 11
Kudos: 226





	1. Both Thankfully Alive

**Author's Note:**

> Day 2 for MarimoCookWeek - Se crests/Revelations
> 
> Beta read by: markofthemoros and DragonRiderSayomi
> 
> My Tumblr for questions and concerns  
And my Patreon for extra goodies.

“...The hell is that?” Sanji asked, breathlessly. His heart hammered in his chest as he gazed at what could only be described as a wall...a fortress of towering water. It spun dangerously, even from where he stood, he could feel the wind whipping from the swirling pillar, ruffling his hair. It was a struggle just to stay on his feet. If it weren’t for Robin’s blossoming hands, Chopper would have been blown overboard moments earlier.

They could barely make out Nami’s voice over the roaring storm. “Everyone, hold on to something!”

None of them had to be told twice. They all grabbed onto a part of the ship that didn’t appear to be at risk of being torn away. Which didn’t leave them with many options. To be honest, they were all praying she’d be able to make it through this ordeal. Sanji wrapped his arms around the mast, reaching as far around as he could. And just in time. Not a second after he latched on, the ship lurched to the right, almost knocking him off instantly. Somehow, by some miracle, he managed to stay latched on.

Damn, his hands were slipping and the winds were only intensifying with every passing second. At this rate… Sanji grit his teeth and risked a glance around. Luckily Robin had herself secure thanks to her powers, and she did well keeping Chopper safe as well. Same with Luffy who had his other arm around Nami. Even Ussop was doing fairly well on his own. The only person he couldn’t spot was…

He ducked just as a body came barreling towards him. Out of instincts, he released one arm from his purchase in order to catch the swordsman before he could go flying past.

“Dammit, you dumb-” Sanji grit between teeth, insult catching in his throat at the sight of blood. A thin trail ran down the side of Zoro’s face. He was unconscious. “You damn idiot,” he muttered, practically burying his fingers into the wood. But, despite his efforts, he could still feel his grasp slipping. Even with his losing battle, the idea of letting go of the other man never popped up in his mind as so much as a consideration.

He just had to hold o-

The ship jerked again, the wind prying it from the waves before it was slammed back down. This time with enough force to tear the chef away from the mast. He felt himself flying back before he could process things completely. Panicking, he reached out for anything he could latch on to. But, something scraped by his side. It was with enough force to cause him to retract his hand and wrap it around his abdomen.

His teeth bared, he reached out again, only for his fingertips to barely glance over the wooden surface of the rail. His eyes widened in realization...he was going overboard. There was nothing more to grab onto.

“Sanji! Zoro!” he heard the shrill cries of their navigator, growing farther away until they were completely drowned out by waves crashing over the both of them.

He was being pulled under, spun and tossed around. In only a few seconds he didn’t know which way was up anymore. Yet, through all this, he could still feel the weight of Zoro in his arm. The blond held his breath for as long as he could, quickly growing light-headed. Desperately, he wrapped his other arm around the swordsman and pulled him in close, as tightly as he could until he feared he might break something.

The blond kicked his legs, praying he was at least going in the right direction, but it was impossible to tell. He could still feel himself being dragged in every direction, disorienting him more by the second.

Dammit, he was getting nowhere, and he knew it. He was starting to lose consciousness, his lungs burned and his limbs were growing heavier. Despite his efforts, Zoro was slowly slipping from his hold as his arms were giving out. Giving everything he had, Sanji forced his grasp to tighten, convinced he was using the last of his energy to do so. The moment the swordsman was pulled back in, he just knew that was all that was left of his strength. That was it, his muscles were drained and his consciousness was escaping him.

The last thing he remembered before passing out was being tugged away by the currents and the distant, muffled cries from his crewmates.

* * *

Everything was throbbing, pulsing in time with his thrumming headache. Sanji coughed, spluttering as he rolled to his side. He winced as his throat constricted. Ears ringing, the blond lied there, eyes closed as the worst of the aches ebbed away. It took a moment for his other senses to reach his brain. The main thing he noticed was the grainy texture beneath him, then the calm crashing of the waves.

Alarmed now, his eyes shot open and he pushed himself to all fours, instantly regretting it when stinging coursed through his side. Hissing, he reached for the area, hand coming away with a couple specks of blood. From the looks of it, it didn’t appear to be anything serious, but the sand that found its way to the wound wasn’t helping.

Shaking it off, Sanji shakily got to his feet, stumbling slightly. His balance was a little off, his head still swimming. The cook placed a hand to the side of his head as he took a look around. It was just as he suspected...washed up on some shore.

“Great,” he sighed.

Then his eyes widened as he remembered...he didn’t go over by himself. He whipped his head around, damp locks swishing with the movement. Where the hell was Zoro? The fact that the man had a head wound before going over wasn’t leaving a pleasant taste in his mouth. His chest tightened as he saw no sight of the swordsman.

‘ _Dammit,’ _he swore under his breath. He brushed a few stray hairs from his face and carefully began to scan the area, only to still come up with nothing. Already, his heart was racing. Perhaps he washed up farther along the shore. That was one possibility; another was maybe the crew managed to at least get him back on the ship. ...The third, Sanji shook his head. No, it had to be one of the first two. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and began walking, slowly and vigilantly. Every two steps, he was searching, leaving no inch of the beach without a look.

Thirty minutes went by, then an hour. Still nothing. The heavy weight in his core growing heavier as his pace gradually picked up. Before he knew it, he was running, calling Zoro’s name in all directions. Breaths coming out in pants, Sanji finally slowed down to catch it. He leaned down, hands on his knees as he waited for his burning lungs to calm down.

He took one more deep breath and straightened back up, preparing for another sprint. He was determined to keep this up until he either found the man, or until he ended up where he started. Shakily, he took another stop, only to stop in his tracks. His gaze locked onto something in the distance, something unmoving and in the unmistakable shape of a body. Sanji swallowed thickly, recognizing the form even from this distance.

‘Shit,’ he mouthed, nearly stumbling in his haste. By the time he reached Zoro, he was completely winded, borderline light-headed. He seriously needed to take a few moments to compose himself. But that would have to wait until he got both of them farther inland and made sure the swordsman was alright.

‘Or alive’. He thought to himself, breath catching.

Without hesitation, the blond dropped his head, placing his ear against the other’s chest. He held his breath in wait until, finally, the faint sound of a heartbeat caused him to sigh slowly. Sanji closed his eyes and just listened for a few seconds more, making sure it was real, that he really heard it and it wasn’t just his imagination. He couldn’t help the light chuckle of relief as he lifted his head away.

Not wasting any time, the cook pulled one of Zoro’s arms over his shoulders with a grunt. Lifting the man usually wasn’t any issue, but his body had clearly taken a beating before washing up. Everything ached. He ignored his body’s pleas for a break and pushed on, practically dragging the other along. All he had to do was get them a few more yards inland, then he could allow himself to rest.

Adrenaline waning, his feet were struggling more and more to get through the sand, nearly tripping him multiple times. Every time, though, he willed himself to stay upright. Somehow he managed, or he did until he finally deemed them far enough away to be safe enough. The moment he reached that spot, his legs decided on their own that it was time for a break. This time, he didn’t fight it, he craved it. The blond fell, dragging Zoro down with him. Luckily for the latter, he was oblivious to it all, still out cold.

Sanji exhaled heavily and closed his eyes. On one hand, he wanted to fight unconsciousness, knowing there were more important things that demanded his attention. On one hand, he still didn’t look the other man over, he didn’t know the extent of his head injury. On the other hand, he was exhausted, he could barely move and his side still stung.

He groaned before forcing his hands to move beneath him and shakily push him up to his hands and knees. There was a rush of nausea when his stomach disagreed with the movement. Stifling a gag, the cook sat the rest of the way up, eyes still closed. He feared opening them now and risking overwhelming his senses when they were already freaking out enough as it were. He had to keep in mind what his priority was. And until Zoro was conscious and lucid, he wouldn’t allow himself to give in.

First thing was, he had to get off the ground. He had to get himself busy. One glance up at the sky, and it was clear what needed his attention first. The last thing he wanted was for them to be stuck, in their condition, in unfamiliar territory. There was no telling what was lurking around even in daylight.

Working his way to trembling legs, he cast a glance towards the swordsman. “Don’t move,” he rasped, arm instinctively wrapping around his side.

He despised how difficult it was for him to do such a simple task as walking. But was proving to be challenging when he had to pause every few steps and depend on the nearest tree for support. Sanji knew this feeling wouldn’t last forever, thankfully. He just had to bear with it for the time being.

It was a slow process, but the cook eventually managed to gather up a few logs lying around. Three pieces tucked under his arm, he made his way back to see Zoro was exactly where he had left him. “Lazy ass,” he muttered, tossing the wood down with a hiss. For a few seconds, he eyed them, as if they would magically stack and light themselves. Dropping heavily to his knees, he quickly set up the logs and got a fire started. As soon as it crackled to life, he could feel the heat sapping some of the moisture from him, revitalizing him a small amount.

Already, the sun was growing close to the horizon. There was no telling how long either of them were unconscious for. Clapping his hands together and turning his attention back to Zoro, Sanji rose back up and crossed the few feet. He was still breathing and his pulse was steady, that was enough to lift some of the worry from his chest.

Gently, he brushed a few green hairs out of the way, finally being able to get a proper look at the sizable cut along the swordsman’s hairline. He had no idea how exactly it happened, but whenever it was had to have hit rather hard. Sanji carefully prodded the area and lightly jumped when his touch elicited a soft groan. The blond paused, unsure if he had really heard it. So, he gingerly brushed it again, and this time the swordsman’s features scrunched in discomfort.

Tension finally fleeing from his muscles, Sanji tapped his face lightly. “Hey,” he whispered, “can you hear me?” Another groan. Then, thankfully, Zoro’s eyes cracked open. They were bleary, confused as they slowly located the blond.

Clearing his throat, the larger man went to sit up, but Sanji was quick to stop him. “Hold up, don’t move yet,” he ordered, one hand on Zoro’s chest, the other on the side of his head.

The swordsman breathed out heavily and cleared his throat. “Where’re we?” he asked, voice hoarse. His brows were knit, and the chef could only assume it was due to a headache the man no doubt had. Surprisingly, it didn’t take much to get the brute of a man to comply. He simply leaned back with a soft groan.

“We washed up somewhere,” Sanji answered lowly, continuing his inspection. Luckily the gash wasn’t deep. Still, he took the edge of his sleeve and dabbed gently at the wound. Zoro hissed with the contact, but other than that, there was no movement or other sounds. “But I have no idea where,” he shrugged. Seeing as there was nothing better he could do, he got back to his feet and walked a couple feet away before sitting back down with a sigh.

Sanji pulled out his pack of cigarettes only to toss them aside a second later with a swear. Completely ruined.

Carefully, Zoro sat up, one hand on his head. He cast a wary gaze at the blond, eyes scanning him up and down, but there was no obvious sign of injury. “What about you?” he asked, almost inaudibly. “You alright?” The concern lacing his words felt weird, foreign to him. Especially considering who they were directed at. Still, the question slipped out of its own accord.

“Yeah,” the blond muttered, leaning back on his elbows. “Just a couple bruises and scrapes, what you’d expect.” He suppressed a wince when the motion pulled uncomfortably at his side. Then he remembered that he never actually took a look at it, only that there was a minor amount of bleeding.

All he really cared about now was the fact that he was exhausted and just wanted to sleep all this off. With a heavy yawn, he pulled himself far enough to lean against one of the trees, still close enough to feel the heat of the fire. Looking to Zoro to make sure he was still conscious, he allowed himself to finally relax. The idiot was alive and lucid. “You’re not gonna die now, are you?” he asked, stifling another yawn.

The swordsman waved a dismissive hand. “Takes a lot more than that,” he grunted, folding his arms. “You can go to sleep if you want, I’m pretty sure I can hand-” He snapped his mouth shut. That had to have been a record for how fast the man was out. But, looking over and seeing the dark circles under his eyes, it was no wonder. Zoro’s head was still throbbing, ears still ringing, but he figures it was nothing he couldn’t deal with. He reached up to feel the cut; the slightest touch had him flinching.

As minutes turned into an hour, he kept his head low, trying to wrack his brain of the previous night. But, all he remembered was the storm...screaming...and vaguely something striking his head. After that, he was in and out of consciousness. He remembered rushing water, darkness, more screaming and...something else. He closed his eyes. Zoro was sure he remembered something holding on to him, or… The swordsman looked over to Sanji as it all came together. Did that idiot actually go overboard because of him?

He didn’t know what to feel about that? Appreciation? Frustration?

His eyes never left the blond as he peacefully slept, barely even stirring. He, quite literally, had the appearance of a man that just washed up on the shore. And, based on how he felt, Zoro doubted he was faring much better. His muscles were sore and his lungs had this residual burning sensation to them.

The longer he sat there, the longer he realized he could go for a nap himself. But, he figured at least one of them had to stay awake and keep watch. That in mind, he steeled himself for a long night. Went out a couple of times to gather some more wood for the fire and ignored the dizziness that tried to claim him more than once. Somehow, he was able to fight off unconsciousness both times it reared its head. The thought of waking Sanji so he could take over had crossed his mind a couple times, but he refused to resort to that.

He was sure they were both just as tired as the other. And so, he let the other sleep, never once bothering him until morning began to show itself and he finally showed some sort of sign of waking. Sanji shifted lightly, a soft gasp escaping when he turned a certain way.

“Finally awake?” Zoro asked, hating how his voice echoed in his head painfully.

Sanji coughed lightly and pulled himself to sit straighter. He offered the other what could be described as an annoyed glare. “Like you’re one to talk.” The blond shifted again, this time hissing and biting his lower lip. He glanced over again, making sure this wasn’t noticed. Luckily, Zoro had his eyes closed, palm of his hand against his forehead.

The blond didn’t realize until he went to get up just how hot it was out there. He could feel a couple of beads of sweat roll down the back of his neck. He glanced at the fire, surprised it was still going strong. Well, that explained the heat.

Coughing again, the chef unsteadily got to his feet. Unfortunately, everything was still rather sore. That long sleep seemed to barely help anything aside from him being just a little less tired. “I’m going to go look for some animals or something,” he muttered. “You stay here, still look like you’re ready to pass out again.” That last part was under his breath, but still loud enough for the other man to catch no problem.

Zoro scoffed. “How do you think the fire stayed lit? Logs didn’t magically appear on it.”

Sanji rolled his eyes, making sure the gesture was seen. “Yeah, yeah, whatever. I’d still prefer it if you stayed here. On the off chance you do faint, I don’t wanna have to haul you around again. You’re too damn heavy for all that.”

“Fine by me,” the swordsman mumbled to himself, crossing his hands behind his head.

The cook watched as he stepped away, making sure he was actually staying put. Once he was sure of it, he picked up his pace, getting a good distance before pausing for breath. Leaning his back against another tree, he swiped the back of his hand over his forehead...it was completely drenched.

“Damn…” he muttered.

Slowly, he sank to the forest floor, one hand on his side as it burned. Something was definitely wrong. The wound was stinging and burning with every slight movement he made, which made no sense with how little blood there was.

Holding his breath, Sanji began unbuttoning his jacket, then his shirt and carefully pulled both layers away. Even the light brushing of material had him reeling. After a few, agonizing seconds, his side was finally revealed and he was biting his lip as he took it all in. It was just as he thought: just a minor wound, nothing more than a scrape. He prodded the area and instantly his teeth sank into his bottom lip as fire erupted over the spot. It moved in waves. Looking at it, there was a slight redness, but it still didn’t look terrible. Either way, even as unknowledgeable as he was in the medical field, he knew what the beginnings of an infection looked like.

Breathing out heavily, he swiftly buttoned everything back up. There was no use worrying about it now, there was nothing they could do about it here. The best they could hope for was to hold out and wait for the others to find them. Right now, he had other things to worry about. And there was no point in mentioning it to Zoro, all it would do was cause unnecessary tension, which they really didn’t need.

Sanji got back to his feet, hand clutching his side, and trudged on. He just hoped they’d be off this island before it had the chance to get too much worse.


	2. Something Amiss

Not long after Zoro was able to doze off, he was jolting awake again. “Took ya long enough,” he mumbled as Sanji returned with what looked like a rabbit in his hand.

“Shut your mouth, or you can go catch your own,” the blond shot back, tossing the rabbit at the swordsman’s feet. “You’re the one with the blade, skin it, if you don’t mind.” He took his original spot with a sigh, watching as the other man went about the task asked of him. As he witnessed the blade glide effortlessly between the skin and meat, the blond could feel his stomach clenching. He had to turn his head, holding back a gag. “So,” he said after a few seconds of silence, once he was sure he wasn’t going to throw up, “head doing any better?”

Zoro was sure he could hear actual concern in that question. “It’s fine,” he answered honestly as the last of the rabbit was cleaned. He held up the meat of it. “Here.” He held it out, narrowing his eyes when Sanji was reluctant on taking it.

“And you’re sure you’re fine?” he asked with a hint of accusation.

Sanji got to his feet effortlessly, scoffed under his breath and tossed a couple more logs onto the fire with his free hand. “I already told you, just dandy. I’m not the one with a lump on my head.” Without hesitation, he skewered the animal, hoping his face didn’t betray the queasiness it caused, and propped it over the fire.

He then cleared his throat. Damn it was dry. “Keep an eye on that, I’m going to try and find some water.”

“And put it in what?” Zoro asked. Just wait until this is done and then we can both go.”

Sanji felt his eye twitch, but he didn’t argue. It did make more sense considering there was no way for him to bring any back to Zoro. “Alright, if that’s really what you want to do.” He sat back down, accidently jarring his side in the process. His breath hitched and he pressed his lips together. Sanji risked a glance at the other, but again, he was busy inspecting his own wound.

They waited in silence until the rabbit was cooked, and it wasn’t missed by the swordsman when Sanji gave him more of it. It also didn’t go unnoticed when he barely nibbled at it, taking forever to actually finish it. Every couple of bites he had to stop, like he was on the verge of puking.

Through the meager meal, Zoro kept a close eye on him. But no matter how hard he looked, for the life of him, he could see nothing other than the pallidness of the man’s features. As concerned as he was, he wasn’t about to press the matter. Whatever it was, Sanji was adamant on keeping the details to himself. Perhaps it really was nothing, maybe his body was still just shaken up from the accident.

Once done, said cook got to his feet. “Let’s get going if we’re going.”

The swordsman nodded and followed suit. The entire time, he stayed a few feet behind the other, keeping a close eye on him, just waiting for any sign as to what was going on. But, there was still nothing. Other than his general tiredness and obvious nausea, there was nothing to go off of.

Then, finally, he noticed something, and he could have slapped himself for not seeing it earlier. The blond seemed to be favoring one side. His right arm was angled slightly, as if protecting it. He still walked rather well though, and it didn’t appear to be bothering him any more than being a bit on the sore side. He did say he had a few bruises and scratches, which wasn’t surprising.

Before he could put much thought into the matter, Sanji came to a stop, almost out of breath. He held up a hand. “I think I hear a stream,” he announced, tilting his head. With a bit more energy, he started off once more, making a beeline towards its source.

Surprisingly, the cook was right, and before long, they were standing before a small creek. From the looks of it, the water was rather clear. Though, at the moment, neither of them seemed to care too much. They were both parched and were desperate to wash some of the grime and blood from themselves.

While Zoro kept himself busy rinsing his wound and getting himself a drink, Sanji wandered off a little farther downstream, but not far enough to be completely out of sight. He sat on the edge and again removed his jacket and shirt in order to reach his right side. Looking at it now, in better lighting, there was no denying there was definitely a bit of swelling now. And the heat he felt against the tips of his fingers was a sure sign of something festering. Jaw tight, he scooped a generous amount of water in his hand and splashed it over the scrape, hissing as soon as it made contact. His hand instantly clamped over the wound as he took quick breaths.

“Fuck…” he muttered.

He swiftly forced his hand away when he heard the unmistakable crunching of leaves. Almost in a panic, the blond pulled his shirt back around, choosing to leave his jacket off this time. It was too damn hot to wear it anyway. “What?” he asked, feeling the other’s presence hovering behind him.

For a moment, Zoro said nothing, he wasn’t sure if he should. Taking a deep breath, he opted for, “We shouldn’t be away from the shore for long. We don’t know when the others will be coming by and I’d rather not miss them.”

“Yeah,” Sanji agreed. The word was almost whispered. But he didn’t move right away; there was clear hesitation. Again, the swordsman saw him favor one side as he finally got to his feet. He couldn’t keep himself from glancing down, and he couldn’t be sure, but he was pretty sure he saw a hint of red staining his shirt. The second he was upright, he swayed lightly, a dazed look coating his eye. Out of instincts, Zoro found himself grabbing the man’s upper arm.

“Hey,” he said, giving a firm squeeze.

Sanji didn’t say a word. Not right away. He blinked a few times, brows knit as awareness returned to him. Slowly, he looked to the swordsman, then down. Swallowing thickly, shoving his uneasiness down, the blond pulled his arm away. “Stood up too quickly,” he mumbled, looking back up to meet Zoro’s gaze.

The other looked him in the eye for a moment and eventually nodded. “Right...let’s just get going.”

The blond pressed his lips together and tucked his jacket under his arm. As he walked ahead, he could feel the other’s gaze boring into his back. He cursed himself; there was no way Zoro bought the whole ‘fine’ thing now. He made extra sure to stay as straight as he could, letting as little discomfort show as possible. He couldn’t help but be a little annoyed by this; why couldn’t the man be as indifferent as he always was?

It was a long and tedious journey back to the shore, but the moment they returned, Sanji was sitting back down, out of breath. A light sheen of sweat was coating his brow. He swiped his sleeve across his forehead and heaved a heavy sigh. Slowly, he glanced to the swordsman, who was watching him intently.

“What?” he asked, clearly irritated.

After a couple seconds, Zoro shook his head. “Nothing,” he muttered, taking his spot on the other side. Even as he said that, his stare never left the blond, and Sanji could feel his eye twitching.

“Then will ya quit lookin’ at me!?” he finally snapped. He readjusted, and Zoro didn’t miss that slight wince as he straightened up. “Damn…”

With a deep sigh, the swordsman forced himself to drop it and crossed his arms over his chest. His head was still throbbing and the ringing in his ears never quite dissipated. He pressed the heel of his hand against his temple and leaned back. Maybe he was being too critical, too paranoid. He couldn’t think straight and it was likely he was looking for issues that weren’t there. Zoro wanted to roll his eyes at himself, but stopped himself, knowing the pain it would cause.

The two of them spent about an hour in relative silence. Not a single sound was uttered between the two of them other than the occasional sigh or hitch in breath. Zoro cracked an eye open every few minutes, stealing a glance at the blond every time he thought he heard the man hiss. But, each time, Sanji was in the same position, same expression of disinterest masking his features. Not once did the chef notice the other looking at him.

Then again, as Zoro looked closer, his eyes were closed, chest rising and falling rhythmically. He was asleep. This was reason enough for the swordsman to narrow his eyes. It was odd - rare even - for anyone, let alone Sanji, to be sleeping more than him. However, once more, there was no obvious sign that something was wrong. The man was sweating a bit and his skin was a bit more pale than usual. No clear sign of worrying injury. Zoro’s mouth pressed into a thin line and he slowly got to his feet, staying as quiet as he possibly could.

He stood for a couple seconds, then when he deemed it safe, took a couple steps closer. It took a few minutes, but once he was next to the blond, he crouched down. Lips now pursed, the larger man slowly reached out. The back of his hand barely grazed the cook’s forehead before the man jolted and reeled back.

But that small contact was more than enough.

“What the hell are you doing!?” Sanji blurted out, already on his feet, albeit unsteadily. If it weren’t for that tree, he’d be right back down.

“You’re warm,” was all Zoro said. A hint of accusation.

Sanji’s teeth were grit and he took an instinctive step back. Letting out a low, frustrated growl, the blond thrust his hand towards the fire. “I’m less than five feet from a fire, of course I’m fucking hot!” As if to make his point, the man started to unbutton his shirt now. About halfway down, he paused, fingers hovering over the next. His eyes were cast down, looking at something underneath. And Zoro was sure he paled even more. Sanji swallowed thickly and dropped his hands back to his sides. Silently and slowly, he sat back down.

“I’m fine, alright?”

Zoro watched as the chef’s expression dropped, eyes almost staring straight forward. Sanji let out a shuddering breath and seemed to shake whatever was bothering him away. His weary gaze, looked to the other, right to the wound on his head. He didn’t ask or say anything, but it was clear what he was thinking.

The swordsman scoffed and turned his head to the side. “Now it’s my turn, quit looking at me like that. This is nothing.”

He ground his teeth. What the hell was his problem anyway? Ever since they woke up here, Sanji had been hovering and treating him like he was so damn fragile. Yeah, Sanji did haul him to safety when he was unconscious and tended to his wound, but now it was just getting to be a nuisance. Even more frustrating when they both knew something was wrong with the cook, and the idiot was adamant on ignoring it and hiding whatever the hell it was.

Zoro didn’t know how much time had gone by, it had to have been at least a couple hours before Sanji was getting up again. He watched warily as the blond stumbled to his feet. He wasn’t sure if it was just him or not, but the blond seemed to be having a harder and harder time staying steady while upright.

“Where’re you going?”

Sanji waved a dismissive hand and went to walk away. When he heard Zoro start to get up as well, he held it up. “Calm down, just going to the bathroom,” he muttered. “And I might look for something else to cook, it’s getting late and that rabbit wasn’t much for two people.” Again, the swordsman went to follow after him. “You should stay here...in case the others come by.”

Zoro went to protest, but he found himself unable to counter any of that. He bit his bottom lip, but he sat back down with a grunt. “Alright, fine. Don’t get yourself lost.”

“I’m more worried about you doing that.”

The swordsman snorted under his breath. “Whatever. If you’re not back by the time the sun starts going down, I’m coming after you.” He cut his gaze over, practically daring the man to argue with him.

“I don’t need your concern,” Sanji retorted, sauntering off towards the woods. He missed the way Zoro watched him until he was out of sight, the way the man noticed every uncertain step and each slight waver. The blond was too focused on keeping up a stable enough demeanor until he was far enough to finally drop the facade.

“Shit…” he whispered, hand clamping over his side. Even that small contact sent daggers through his body. Already, it was so much more painful than just that morning. From the slight glimpse he caught earlier, he knew this was getting bad, fast. Back against a tree, he once more started to unbutton the rest of his shirt until the material fell back and he had full few of the wound. It was so minor, really nothing more than a scrape.

And yet, the burning sensation, the waves it was sending off, it felt as though it should have been far worse. But, that wasn’t the part that had his stomach tightening into a knot. It was the coloring around the actual injury. If it were just red, he would have thought little of it. But it was the additional purple hue that had his nausea spiking. His fingers hovered over the area, trembling as he hesitated. Taking a deep breath, Sanji finally willed himself to lightly touch. Instantly, he bit down on his bottom lip and yanked his hand away.

He breathed in sharply and hastily did his shirt back up. He couldn’t bare to look at it anymore. It was fine. It was just an infection, nothing he didn’t deal with before. He’d just have to tolerate it until they were back on the ship and Chopper could take care of it. They couldn’t have gone that far. The log pose would surely lead them here. Another couple days at the most, he could handle a little bit of discomfort until then.

Right, he had to get back to Zoro. Had to get back as quickly as possible. There was no telling what exactly this was, but he was sure all this extra walking around wasn’t helping any. In fact, he was convinced every step was making it worse.

* * *

Zoro’s foot was tapping at a solid 300 beats per minute as his eyes frequently darted to the edge of the woods. His breath was constantly stuck in his chest. He hadn’t even been an hour, but it was taking him too damn long. He hated to admit it, but Sanji was more than capable, surely it should not take anywhere near this long for him to catch some game and haul it back. Eventually, he forced himself to close his eyes and tried his best to settle down. Here he was again, getting all worried over that idiot.

He took a deep breath and slowly released it. He stayed in this state for a little while longer until he felt his heart finally settle and his mind cease its buzzing.

“You need to stop this,” he muttered, leaning his head back.

Keeping that thought in the forefront, Zoro slowly opened his eyes back as a slightly harder than normal breeze ruffled his hair. It took a moment for this to register and for the swordsman to cut his attention towards the ocean. His stare widened and his entire body froze, lungs and all.

“Fuck,” he mouthed, the dark clouds appearing all too familiar.

His body moved on its one as he got to his feet, jaw tense. It took no time for the wind to start picking up. So focused on the approaching storm, he barely noticed the sound of steps behind him. But, even so, he could sense the presence of the other somewhere behind him. “We have to go,” Zoro muttered, sure the words of advice were already obvious enough. He turned hastily, the sudden action causing his head to swim suddenly. He groaned, but tried his best to push the throbbing aside.

The swordsman didn’t wait for Sanji’s reply, he just grabbed for the man’s wrist and pulled him along. The blond hissed with the tug, but he asked no questions, likely sharing the same rush of adrenaline as Zoro. Even though the blond was easily keeping up with the other, the larger man kept a strong grasp on his arm.

There was no doubt about it, this was the exact same storm that threw them overboard. They had to get as far as possible, they had to find shelter until it blew over.

Zoro was consumed with scenarios and what-ifs. And he was yanked from his thoughts when his hold on Sanji nearly slipped when the man stumbled and nearly tripped. The swordsman came to a sudden halt to tug the man back up. But, he was reluctant when he caught a glimpse of the haze in the other’s eye. His breaths were coming out in pants and his whole form was trembling under the weight of holding himself up.

“This isn’t the time for a break,” Zoro muttered, but made no move to rush the man. He glanced back. He could still see the clouds just over the shore, and it was quickly drawing closer. They didn’t have to time to sit and wait until the cook was ready to get moving again. Teeth clamped tight, he took matters into his own hands - literally. The swordsman scooped Sanji up and hefted him over one shoulder. Over the increasing winds, he could make out the man’s pained gasp and stifled whimper.

“Sorry, but we gotta move.”

The blond didn’t respond, but Zoro could make out what sounded like an irritated grunt. That was close enough. Now that Sanji was so close to his face, he could feel the wafts of heat coming off him. ‘Just the fire’ his ass.

He shoved his concerns down for the time being. First priority, find a place to protect them until this thing blows over. Then the two of them need to have a serious talk. No more avoiding his questions and no more pretending nothing was wrong.

Fortunately, he didn’t have to do much looking around before he came across something that would have to work. It was this or search more and find nothing. Zoro ducked and crammed the both of them into the small nook of a cave. He doubted it could be considered a cave, really, but it would suffice in keeping the worst of it from them. He placed Sanji down, letting him lean against the far wall. The blond instantly drew in sharply as his hand flew to his favored side.

The swordsman watched as the line of pain deepened. It was like he no longer tried to put up a fortress around himself. His own brows knit together as his gaze flicked from the chef’s side to his face.

Just as the winds were intensifying, the larger man finally took a deep breath. “So, you care to be honest with me now?” He watched as the blond’s eye slowly pried open, and he saw nothing but agony within the blue orb. “What’s going on? And don’t give me that ‘fine’ bullshit.” His eyes darted back down to the man’s side. “You’re hurt, aren’t you? And you tried to keep it a secret this whole time. For what? My sake?”

Sanji was surprised by the lack of anger in the man’s tone. He slowly exhaled. “S’pose it doesn’t matter anymore,” he sighed. Without another word, shaking hands started undoing his shirt once more. There was a slight hesitation when he got towards the middle, but the other’s look urged him to remove the rest of it. As the material dropped away, the blond turned his head, avoiding Zoro’s look of pure shock.

“W-What the hell…”

The cook slowly looked down as well, taking in the clearly infected wound. “I wasn’t lying when I said it was just a scrape,” he muttered, as if that made this any better. “It wasn’t this bad this morning.”

Zoro was still at a loss for words. The wound was relatively small, but the angry red surrounding it and the dark purple spreading from it screamed for real concern in his head. This didn’t look like a normal infection to him, not in the slightest. “Why didn’t you say something?” he muttered, almost breathlessly. His mouth was dry and pulse now racing. As he looked closer, there was another color that caused his insides to grow frigid. The edges of the wound...they were starting to turn black.


	3. Revelations

Zoro couldn’t take his eyes off the festering injury. The image of it was burned into the back of his eyes, and every time he blinked, he could still see the dark blotches. He felt sick to his stomach. He should have demanded to see what was wrong sooner. And to make it worse, it somehow got to this point in the short amount of time they were here.

“Sanji...how stupid are you?” he asked, nearly seethed.

The blond scoffed to himself. “What difference would it have made?” he shot back, just as harshly. “Tell me, if you had known sooner, what could have been done? I’ll tell you, not a damn thing.”

“If I knew, I wouldn’t have let your dumb ass wander around by yourself! You probably made it worse with all your searching and exploring!” His voice echoed through their small shelter, causing the cook to wince slightly. But he didn’t back down. He didn’t give in easily to the brute’s intimidation.

Calmly, Sanji pulled himself straighter. “Well, now you know. So, what do you intend to do about it now?”

Zoro said nothing, but he sat back as well. Honestly, at the moment, there was absolutely nothing he could do. With no knowledge of these things, he wouldn’t know what to do even if he had the supplies needed. “How are you feeling?” he opted for instead.

The blond shrugged with one shoulder. “Alright, considering.” He felt the other’s glare on him and reluctantly changed his answer. “Awful, alright? Is that what you want to hear? Everything hurts, I’m tired and I constantly feel like I’m about to hurl. Anything else?” In that short amount of time, he managed to sink back down a good few inches.

Now, the fever was making itself apparent on the man’s cheeks and in his eye. Sweat was starting to roll down the sides of his face and his breathing was quicker than it had been. It was as if now that the truth was out, he no longer tried to fake being well. It appeared as though his health had just taken a sudden plummet, but Zoro knew this was just a visual representation of what he had to have been enduring for a while now.

The swordsman grew quiet, listening only to the roaring storm just outside. He could feel wisps getting in still, and feel drops of rain pelting his back. This in mind, he moved a little to the right, making sure his body blocked the majority of it to keep Sanji dry. Him getting a cold now was definitely not something either of them could afford right now.

Through the night, they stayed like this. Sanji fell asleep within the next couple hours while Zoro stayed exactly where he was, keeping a close eye on him. More importantly, he kept a close eye on that wound. It was gradual, but after some time, he was positive it appeared slightly worse than it had.

Every few minutes, the cook’s breath would hitch and his face would contort in pain. With every sign of the man’s discomfort, Zoro wondered more and more how he hadn’t noticed how bad it was earlier. Silently, he swore at himself as he felt a slight throb in his head. He should have noticed the moment something was off, really. He held his breath as he continued to watch Sanji as the night wore on until he could no longer see anything aside from his outline. But even then, he listened to his breathing intently, focused on every inhale and counted until each exhale.

Slowly, he could tell they were becoming more labored. They hitched every so often, even in his sleep. Through every minute, and every hour, that many did not make a single sound or move an inch until the winds and rain finally slowed and the first signs of morning began to shine in.

Zoro swallowed down the lump as the other gradually became more visible. His heart pounded in his chest. He could see the rise and fall of Sanji’s chest again, and gradually his face was starting to become clearer. The swordsman held his breath when he could see the wound once more. It was the first thing he looked to other than the blond’s face. His brows instantly furrowed and teeth clenched. It was definitely worse. In just the hours of the night, the purple blotches spread and the blackened edges claimed more of the chef’s flesh.

“Dammit,” he muttered. He risked a glance back, things seemed to have calmed down enough. All he knew was they were lucky the storm was moving so quickly.

Sighing in what little relief he had, Zoro crawled in a little farther until he was on his hands and knees, hovering over Sanji. He didn’t know how he was supposed to do this without causing pain or making this awkward.

Shaking his head, he finally just reached out and gently tapped the blond’s cheek. “Hey,” he muttered, somewhat silently. “Hey, wake up already.” With no response, he tapped again with more force behind it. “Come on, you idiot, we have to get going. Storm’s gone, gotta get back to the shore before we get stuck here forever.” Maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration.

But, with that said, the cook finally stirred with a grown. His eye squeezed shut and his back arched slightly. “Shit…” he whispered between tight hisses. He got his eye partially open, unfocused, and it seeked the source of the disturbance out. Despite the man being just a few inches from him, it took some time for recognition to set in. “The hell you want?” he rasped, hand already reaching for his side. Once more, the second he made contact, he yanked his hand away.

Without missing a beat, Zoro was wrapping an arm around the other’s shoulders. “What I want is for us to get the hell out of here and back to the beach.” He wasn’t sure how worried he should have been when the other man didn’t fight against his pulling.

Then again, if the scrunching of his face was anything to go by, moving his body was causing him too much pain for him to care enough. As soon as Zoro had him an inch off the ground, one slender hand shot up to cling to his shoulder. He knew the guy was strong, but damn, his fingers were digging deep. He just had to bear with it. To be honest, the way Sanji gasped and whimpered hurt far more than any grasping ever could.

“Sorry, I know it hurts, but not much I can do,” he muttered. He didn’t know why he was apologizing, it wasn’t as if he was directly causing this. But...at the same time, Sanji probably wouldn’t be in this mess if it weren’t for him.

“Just...hurry,” the blond replied, face turned to hide itself against the larger man’s chest. Nodding, Zoro tried not to think about it too much and gathered the other in his arms, ducked and got them both out as soon as he could. It tugged at his heart, the sounds Sanji made, but he shoved those aside for the time being. The faster he got them both to the shore, the sooner he could lie the man down and let him compose himself.

He held Sanji close, being extra wary of his side. Never once did he touch anywhere near it. He was moving as quickly as he could, hating how every step jarred the other man, causing him to cling tighter. “Almost there,” he promised. Though, once they were there, it wouldn’t make any difference if the ship wasn’t there yet. Until the others got there, he could do nothing but watch the man suffer.

After what felt like an eternity, the swordsman finally slowed, slightly out of breath. The beach was a wreck, driftwood and other debris scattered everywhere. He was beginning to see it as a miracle that they survived their first encounter as well as they did.

“Ready?” Zoro asked, looking down at a man who appeared barely conscious.

Subtly, Sanji nodded.

Slowly, gently, the swordsman lowered him to the ground. It had to have taken him at least a minute to complete such a simple action. As soon as the blond was on the ground, he took matters into his own hands, and dragged himself. He pulled himself until he was propped against a downed tree, one arm draped over the side of it. The cook wasted no time inspecting his wound, or as best he could without actually touching it.

He could have sworn a fire had been lit to it. It took a few seconds for him to take it all in and process what he was looking at. Zoro was surprised to hear what could only be described as a bitter chuckle come from the other. “Guess this is...pretty bad, huh?” Sanji muttered, turning to rest his head on his arm.

“Definitely not a good thing,” Zoro muttered, dropping to sit next to him. Damn thing was still spreading rather fast. The whole thing wasn’t leaving a pleasant taste in his mouth. For a moment, he sat there in silence. He had his gaze directed at the ocean. The moment the ship came into view, he wanted to know, and not a second later. He was only pulled from his concentration when he felt a slight shift to his right. Not long after that, there was a weight leaning against him. Zoro cut a glance over, only to be faced with a mop of unkempt golden hair.

He wasn’t asleep, so that means he leaned over fully aware of what he was doing. Either that, or the fever was so bad he was just delirious. Either way, Zoro didn’t mind and he allowed him to remain how he was.

The fact that Sanji seemed to be more comfortable was reason enough not to disturb him. In fact, he found himself reaching with his left hand and before he knew it, he was running his fingers through the man’s hair. What was even more surprising than the cook leaning against him was that same cook leaning into the touch and letting out a contempt sigh.

Zoro felt a slight warmth rise to his face when he felt Sanji relax. “I think you’re enjoying this a little too much,” he muttered after a small, nervous cough.

“Shuddup and don’t stop,” the blond mumbled before sliding down until his head was resting on the larger man’s lap. “T’feels good.”

Doing as he was asked, Zoro could sense a small tremble running through the other, and it took him a little while to realize he was shivering. Then he remembered: the dumbass left his jacket on the beach. That thing was long gone by now. All he had was a shirt, and he doubted that would do much good. The only other thing he could think of was to use his free hand and rub it up and down Sanji’s arm. It wasn’t much, but it should at least generate some sort of heat.

Gradually, the shudders calmed down. Unfortunately, his breathing did not; it was still forced and uneven. It was difficult to tell if he was getting worse or not. It was clear as hell that he wasn’t doing any better. Zoro couldn’t stop from constantly stealing glances at the man’s side. With a low hum, he tore his eyes away and back towards the ocean.

For a while, they sat there, the swordsman never stopping his hands, not even after Sanji had long since fallen asleep on him. Zoro was beginning to feel impressed with just how much the man was sleeping. It didn’t take long for the trembles to pick back up. As he stroked the blond’s hair, his fingers trailed closer to his hairline, then to his forehead. There was no reaction as he flattened his palm over the heated skin. He was far too warm for Zoro’s liking. Clearing his throat, he went back to brushing fingers through hair. “Hurry the hell up,” he muttered, allowing his other arm to finally stop and rest, wrapped around the cook’s shoulder.

It was so quiet now, too much so. It was already driving the man crazy. He was starting to get tired now, the weariness was finally catching up to him now that everything had calmed down. To put it simply, he was flat out exhausted. His eyelids tugged and his body was begging him for sleep. But, he couldn’t allow his guard to drop for a single second. Just as he was starting to get impatient, foot tapping with antsy nerves, he finally spotted something a ways off. It was just a spec at the moment, but there was not a bit of doubt in his mind.

Zoro perked out, hand drifting away from the blond’s forehead as he instinctively began to stand. His breath caught as the spec got closer and he could start to make out details. There was a lump in his throat, and he finally got to his feet, careful not to jar the other too much in the process.

“Hey,” he muttered, dryly without turning his head. “Hey, wake up will ya?” he muttered, louder. With no response, the swordsman finally turned toward the cook. Jaw stiff, he crouched down and gave the man a light shake.

Finally, some sign of life as he groaned. He waited only a second as Sanji struggled to get things into focus. “You with me? We’re getting out of here.” For a moment, the blond appeared nothing short of bewildered. His brow knit and he looked at the larger man for answers. “The others, they’re almost here,” Zoro clarified, beckoning the chef to slowly turn his attention towards the sea. That was all it took to get a little bit of energy back into him.

“What?” he rasped, propping himself onto one elbow. He hissed with the movement. With a little bit of welcomed assistance, he got to his feet unsteadily. Sanji stumbled slightly, but Zoro was swift to keep him upright. Even now though, it looked as though he wouldn’t be able to hold that stance for very long.

“Think you can make it?” the swordsman half-teased, hefting the other up, cautious of his side.

A dry chuckle scraped its way out. “Give me a bit more credit, would ya?” Even as he spoke, he was leaning more and more against the other. Together, slowly, the started closer to the shore. By now, smaller details of the Merry could be made out. They could see her face, could start making out the other crew members. And soon enough, their expressions ranging from relief to worry. As they neared the water, Zoro paused as the weight against him suddenly tugged down.

“Everything alright?” he asked, noticing the other’s head was bowed.

Nothing.

Taking his free hand, Zoro grabbed Sanji’s chin and angled it to face him. His eyes were shut, mouth slightly open. And now his own heart was racing. The idiot seriously passed out on him. Not skipping a beat, the held his breath and scooped the blond into his arms. “Sorry, but you’re not doing this when we’re right there,” he muttered.

There was no mistaking the man’s fever now. He could still feel heat wafting off, even with his face so far away. The sheen of his skin was beginning to grow more concerning. But, he reminded himself, Chopper was just a few yards away now. Soon, this would all be over with, and everything would be fine. He’d treat whatever the hell this infection was, Sanji would get the rest he needed, and all would work out.

Before he knew it, he was running, his feet moving of their own accord. He was so damn close. Everything happened in a blur. Upon his request, Luffy stretched his arms down and took the cook from him, allowing him to free up his own and climb on board. Words were thrown his way, questions, concerns, but he heard not a single one of them. He could only watch as their doctor fussed over their chef.

The look in the small reindeer’s eyes caused Zoro’s insides to freeze over. As skilled as he was, even he appeared distraught and fearful of the sight. He changed into his human form and hauled Sanji away. He tried to go after them, but he was held back. By who, he had no idea. Whoever it was was adamant on him staying right where he was. Growing frustrated, he finally looked over his shoulder, seeing the face of his captain, arms wrapped around him a few times at least.

“Zoro,” he ground out. “Stop, you have to stay out here, Chopper needs his space to work.”

It was a rare sight, but it was the seriousness on his face that finally convinced Zoro to relax as he forced the tension from his muscles. He took a couple deep breaths before finally dropping where he was, taking a seat right there. “It’s bad…” he muttered, as if the others didn’t already get a sense of that. Anyone who had sight would be able to tell just how severe the infection was. Never before had he seen one that caused the skin around the wound to blacken...and at such a fast rate on top of that.

Even now, thinking about it made him want to vomit. He didn’t want to accept it earlier, but now that it was in Chopper’s hands now, he was willing to. Whatever it was, it was killing the man, right in front of him. At the rate it was accelerating and he was declining, he had no doubt he would have been dead if given a few more days.

“Chopper knows what he’s doing,” Nami assured, voice somewhat uncertain. “We just have to trust in him.”

Zoro let out a heavy sigh. “I know that,” he snapped, getting back to his feet. “Why should I be concerned anyway, it’s that damn idiot’s fault in the first place. No one asked him to do anything, and I sure as hell didn’t ask for his help…”

He grit his teeth and quickly turned his back to the others to make his way towards the kitchen. No one stopped him, no one said a word. He made sure to give them all a warning glare to keep them at bay. The last thing they wanted right now was to get on his bad side when he was clearly on the verge of biting their heads off. He practically slammed the door behind him, making it more than clear he wanted to be alone

Once all was silent again, he took a shuddering breath and slowly released it. It felt like everything was finally hitting him at once. He didn’t get it, why the hell did he care so much anyway? There was no understanding it, but for some reason the idea of Sanji actually dying… He ground his teeth and sauntered towards their stash of ale, pouring himself a generous amount. The moment he sat himself down at the table, he had downed half of it.

“Fucking idiot,” he muttered between gulps.

He didn’t like this feeling of caring so much, it was so much easier when he didn’t give a single damn. In one more swallow, he finished off his drink and slammed the empty tankard down with a sigh and swiped the back of his hand over his mouth. But, there was no fooling himself, he knew he did care, a lot, maybe even too much. To think, it took something of this magnitude for him to finally realize it.

Zoro shook his head and leaned back to fold his arms over his chest. He closed his eyes, trying to find what little rest he could while he could. Because he knew the moment Chopper came back out with news, he likely wouldn’t be getting any. Pushing his mug to the side, the swordsman placed his arms on the table and laid his head on top. He must have been more exhausted than he thought, it wasn’t long at all before he could feel himself drifting off. And once that was hit, there was no chance of him fighting sleep any longer.

* * *

For what had to have been hours, the man was completely out of it. In the back of his mind, he could make out someone moving around him, could hear slight clatters, soft steps. Even felt something soft brush and drape over him. But he never woke up long enough to take a look to see who or what it was. It wasn’t until he heard something being placed next to him and a sweet smell hit his nose that he really began to stir.

His eyes scrunched as he tried desperately to stay asleep, but the scent was calling to him, urging him to wake up. Slowly, his eyes cracked open, and the first thing he realized was the fact that the lights were on, meaning night must of already rolled in. The second was the steaming cup sitting less than a foot from his face. That explained where the strong, welcoming aroma was coming from.

With a low moan of annoyance, Zoro lifted his head, rubbing the side of it as it throbbed. It was then that he noticed someone else sitting just next to him. As he sat up straighter, something slipped from his shoulders, something that he already knew was a blanket.

“Finally awake huh?” the other man asked, voice laced with weariness.

The swordsman tilted his head at the tone. “Should you really be up?” he asked, trying his best to hide the relief from his own voice. He failed miserably, but the question was completely genuine.

Sanji took a sip from his own cup and gently placed it back down. “No, not really.” At least he was honest. Zoro looked at the man more thoroughly, instantly looking at the bandages wrapped tightly around his abdomen. On the other side, he could see hints of crimson. “But, Chopper is asleep, and I couldn’t take the quiet down there.”

Zoro noticed he still looked like shit. “So, you decided to come up here and make tea?” he muttered, brow raised. “You really are as dumb as you look.”

The blond didn’t answer as he took another sip. Lines of pain still decorated his features. From the looks of it, it was taking all he had left to be sitting there now. “So,” Zoro muttered, finally asking what’s been on his mind, “how is it?”

For a second, Sanji looked confused, then he released a slow breath and an unconscious hand moved to hover just over his side. “Well,” he started, quieter, “we were right about it not being good.” His voice teetered between humor and bitterness. “I guess you could say...I was literally rotting.” He shrugged nonchalantly, ignoring the mask of shock worn by the other. “He had to remove the dead tissue and start me on antibiotics.”

Zoro didn’t understand how he was saying all this so casually. “W-What…” he breathed out. Surely he didn’t hear that right.

“Flesh-eating infection,” the blond summed up, as if that would make it any easier to swallow. “But, it’s fine, it didn’t have time to do any fatal damage.” As he got up to pout himself another cup, Zoro caught a glimpse of his side, and he immediately grew cold. Even through the bandages, he could see a slight indentation. It wasn’t too obvious, but he could definitely make it out. There was no way he should have been walking around.

In a flash, he was by the cook’s side, hand clasped tightly around his wrist. “I’m not going to make you go back to bed because I know your stubborn ass won’t stay. But, I would appreciate it if you’d at least have some damn sense and sit the hell down.” He didn’t give the man the chance to reply as he pulled him along, back towards the table where he basically forced him to stay. Without another word, the swordsman plucked the cup from Sanji’s hand and proceeded to pour the beverage himself.

Sanji lowered his head, both hands around the cup and jolted lightly as the blanket was now dropped around his shoulders. “What’s this all about?” he asked.

“Returning the favor,” Zoro replied flatly. “You’re only in this mess because… of me.”

The blond didn’t reply, he just remained how he was, couple golden locks falling out of place. “I didn’t think about what I was doing,” he finally replied. Again, it was so casual. “If I didn’t, I don’t think I could live with myself knowing there was something I could have done. It was a natural reaction, it doesn’t need to be repaid.”

Zoro sat back down and finally took his own tea in his hands. “Is that so?” He slowly took a sip, closing his eyes as the taste coated his tongue. It was good, but that was no surprise. “I still didn’t ask you to do it though.”

“Well, too late for that now, isn’t it?”

Sanji was really starting to get on his nerves now. “Yes, but don’t you ever pull that shit again,” he ground out. “Do it again, and I’ll kill you mysel-” He stiffened, feeling the all too familiar weight against him. “What are you doing?” he asked, glancing to the mop of gold. “You know, if you’re tired, which I know you are, you can just go to be-”

“Shut up.” Zoro’s eye twitched at the second interruption in the last minute. “This is more comfortable…”

The swordsman took another sip of his tea before setting it back down and wrapping an arm around the cook’s shoulders. Pulling him a bit closer, he muttered, “Fine, but just for a little while. If Chopper finds out you’re up, I’m not taking the fall for it.”

“That’s fine.” Sanji breathed deeply, content. “Just a few minutes is fine.”

Zoro just shook his head, unable to keep the amused smile from slipping onto his face. “Ok, a few minutes, but that’s it. Chopper’s not the only one disapproving of you being up.” Sanji just hummed in response. The swordsman leaned his head over, resting it one the other’s. “But...I don’t mind if you’d rather sit here for a little while longer.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this one. :D 6 more to go~


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